Badwater was awesome.  Next year I want to pile you and your friends into an air-conditioned bus so you can witness this amazing 135-mile race. You’ll be exhausted just from the lack of sleep, but it will let you know what can come of the human spirit. The racers were amazing in the most oppressive conditions I have ever witnessed. Death Valley would be a great place to visit in the winter, but mid-summer we baked in the 128-degree temperatures that welcomed our days there. The radiant heat off the pavement was 186 degrees, but if you ran on the painted white line in the road it was only emitting 168 degrees. (continue reading…)

The craziest, most insane runners are gathered here in Death Valley right now. I feel way too conservative in this company of ultrarunners. I am typing this from 282 feet below sea level at the starting line of the Badwater Ultramarathon. It is 5:30 am and already over 100 degrees. Consider me the “freshman” in a very experienced crew helping Shannon Farar-Griefer earn another race buckle once she makes the 135-mile journey to Mount Whitney Portal. Some runners will even go the extra 11 miles to summit the mountain that peaks at 14,495 feet altitude. (continue reading…)

It has been over a week since we lost Aspen and I am still having grief-storms at the most inappropriate times.  The UPS guy had a bone for Aspen and I had to decline it. A neighbor asked where my “shadow” was. A piece of Aspen’s hair was folded into a clean shirt.  Her favorite stream is running high this year. I’m finding it difficult to make up any sort of daily routine without her, but I’m trying. I’m immersing myself in the fact that summer has arrived and my favorite trails are finally free of snow. I’m excited that distance runners are choosing Mammoth to train this year. I have been showing Wesley Korir, two-time winner of the LA Marathon, my favorite places to run. I just got word that Olympic gold medalist in the 10,000 meters Derartu Tulu will be coming up to train later this summer. (continue reading…)